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Rota reacts to Trudeau’s Elbow-gate

“Judging by what people are saying and what people are learning I think in the long run what’s going to happen is we are going to see a more calm and a more cooperative atmosphere in the House of Commons."
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Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota speaks to the media on Wednesday. Photo by Chris Dawson.

Anthony Rota may be a Liberal MP, but he’s not taking any sides relating to the controversial “Elbow-Gate” incident which occurred in the House of Commons last Wednesday.  

“It’s a situation that is there and it has happened, I can’t defend the actions on either side, and it’s most unfortunate it would happen in our Parliament,” said the Nipissing-Timiskaming MP during a media event at YES Employment this morning.  

The Prime Minister touched off a firestorm Wednesday in the House when he pulled Conservative whip Gord Brown through a clutch of New Democrat MPs to hurry up a vote related to doctor-assisted dying.

NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau said Trudeau elbowed her in the chest and that she was forced to leave the House of Commons and miss the vote as a result.

Trudeau apologized, calling the encounter an accident.

Rota saw the event unfold first hand and says he was trying to calm down some other Liberal MP’s who wanted to go down to the floor after the incident.  

Rota says the event took him by complete surprise.  

“Yes, surprised is a good word, probably an understatement it happening in our Parliament, there were some games being played and when you saw the results of those games you just shake your head and wonder sometimes but overall I think things are back in order,” he said.  

Rota hopes all three political parties learn from the incident. 

“Judging by what people are saying and what people are learning I think in the long run what’s going to happen is we are going to see a more calm and a more cooperative atmosphere in the House of Commons,” said Rota. 

“It’s time to move on, everybody has learned from it, and its before committee in parliament, the committee will come up with some kind of ruling on it and we will see where it goes.” 

With Files from the Canadian Press


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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